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ocean current
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World map showing major ocean current systems, with arrows indicating the direction and speed of warm and cold currents in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. Warm currents are marked in red and cold currents in blue, with currents labeled by name and symbols denoting those that reverse direction seasonally. A legend explains current speed categories and color codes. Two diagrams compare coastal upwelling during normal conditions and an El Nino event. The top shows strong upwelling with nutrient-rich water and high plankton near the coast, while the bottom shows weak upwelling, a thicker nutrient-poor surface layer, and reduced plankton during El Nino. major surface currents of the oceans
Visualization of Earth from space showing swirling blue and white patterns representing global ocean currents, with Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean visible.
Thermohaline circulation
At a Glance
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ocean current summary
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water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)
Water and its Varying Forms
Iceland, Glacier lagoon (Jokulsarlon)
Winter Weather Words Quiz
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World map showing major ocean current systems, with arrows indicating the direction and speed of warm and cold currents in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. Warm currents are marked in red and cold currents in blue, with currents labeled by name and symbols denoting those that reverse direction seasonally. A legend explains current speed categories and color codes.
Ocean currents Major ocean current systems of the world.

ocean current

oceanography
Also known as: oceanic circulation
Written by
Claudia Cenedese
Senior Scientist, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Woods Hole, Massachusetts.
Claudia CenedeseAll
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Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

ocean current, stream made up of horizontal and vertical components of the circulation system of ocean waters that is produced by gravity, wind friction, and water density variation in different parts of the ocean. Ocean currents are similar to winds in the atmosphere in that they transfer significant amounts of heat from Earth’s equatorial areas to the poles and thus play important roles in determining the climates of coastal regions. In addition, ocean currents and...

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